Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility Waiver Initiative: Impact Evaluation Short Report & Executive Summary

Over the last decade, Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTFs) have become the primary provider for youth with serious emotional disturbances requiring an institutional level of care. However, since they are not recognized as qualified institutions along with hospitals, nursing or intermediate care facilities, states have been unable to use the 1915(c) waiver authority to provide home and community-based alternatives to keep youth in their homes with their families. The Deficit Reduction Act addressed this issue by providing up to $218 million to a maximum of 10 states to develop demonstration programs that provide home and community-based services to youth as alternatives to PRTFs. The goal is to test the effectiveness in improving or maintaining a child’s functional level and the cost effectiveness of providing coverage of home and community-based service alternatives to PRTFs for youth enrolled in the Medicaid program under Title XIX. The report and executive summary are both available below.

View the executive summary

View the report